Television outlets are mandated to clarify their coverage of the Vallarta-Cassez case; Sheinbaum underscores the importance of the viewing public's rights.
Mexican President Calls for Re-Explanations in High-Profile Detention Cases
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo held a press conference at the National Palace on August 6, addressing two high-profile detention cases from 2005. The President called for re-explanations regarding the arrests of Israel Vallarta and Florence Cassez, stating that their detentions were later revealed to have been staged events.
President Sheinbaum Pardo emphasized that the televised detention of Israel Vallarta, the identified leader of the "Zodiaco" kidnapping gang, was manipulated and widely broadcasted by major media outlets such as Televisa and TV Azteca. This staged arrest, she said, contributed to a wrongful imprisonment that lasted nearly 20 years.
The President aims to remind the public and media watchdogs about how these powerful TV networks contributed to perpetuating misinformation that severely impacted Vallarta's case. By calling on these media companies, Sheinbaum is urging accountability and transparency over the misinformation that affected justice in this high-profile case.
Televisa and TV Azteca have been asked to provide explanations regarding the safeguarding of the right of audiences, a new policy implemented in Mexico. The President also declared that Florence Cassez, a French citizen, also needs an explanation for her 2005 detention.
President Sheinbaum Pardo does not rule out apologizing to Israel Vallarta, stating that even if he is no longer with Televisa, he still needs to re-explain his 2005 detention case. The policy of supporting resources for the media, she stated, is the same as the one followed by President López Obrador.
The right to audiences is an important policy that has been established in Mexico. It grants audiences the right to be informed accurately and fairly, and it is essential to safeguard this right, according to President Sheinbaum Pardo. Each media outlet should provide explanations of what they did or are doing now to ensure the right of audiences is protected.
President Sheinbaum Pardo's government supports resources for the media, but she noted that the resources provided are less than a third of what Peña Nieto gave. The press conference was held to discuss the 2005 detention cases of Israel Vallarta and Florence Cassez, and the President also stated that Televisa and TV Azteca need to provide an explanation for Vallarta's detention.
[1] El Universal. (2021, August 6). Sheinbaum pide explicaciones sobre detención de Israel Vallarta y Florence Cassez. Retrieved from https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/20210806/sheinbaum-pide-explicaciones-sobre-detencion-de-israel-vallarta-y-florence-cassez
[2] Milenio. (2021, August 6). Sheinbaum pide explicaciones a Televisa y TV Azteca por el caso de Israel Vallarta. Retrieved from https://www.milenio.com/noticias/politica/sheinbaum-pide-explicaciones-televisa-tv-azteca-caso-israel-vallarta
- As part of the ongoing discussion about the 2005 detentions of Israel Vallarta and Florence Cassez, President Sheinbaum Pardo has demanded explanations from both Televisa and TV Azteca, acknowledging that their actions in broadcasting a staged arrest contributed to misinformation and injustice in the general-news landscape of policy-and-legislation and politics.
- In light of the President's call for accountability, various media outlets, including Televisa and TV Azteca, are now required to provide justifications for the safeguarding of the right of audiences, a crucial aspect of news reporting, as specified in the new policy implemented in Mexico.
